Obstetrical forceps



Dec. 10, 1940. I 1.. J. SCHOENBECHLER 2,224,313-

OBSTETRICAL FORCEPS Filed Jul 14, 193a.

imam Ldwmns i iahapnb ch/pr Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES rATsN oFr cs OBSTETRIGAL FORCEPS Lawrence J Schoenbechler, Ornro, Wis. Application-July 14, 1938, Serial No. 219,205

Claims.

This invention relates to obstetrical forceps.

As is well known to the medical profession,

considerable effort has been directed toward the development of forceps, but, in the main, the

5 presentday forceps do not greatly differ from that of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

All forceps now in general use comprise two complementary branches, each of which has a handle portion and a blade portion connected by a shank and arranged to be articulated after the engagement of interengaging lock means formed on the shanks.

While the shape of the blade portions has been scientifically developed to have the best possible curvature for maximum efficacy, in all instances, these blade portions are solid, and inasmuch as the lock or connection between the branches which enables articulation generally precluded eversion or relative lateral rocking movement of the blades, it follows that it is not always possible to apply the blades flush against the cranium in a position which will assure the optimum conditions of traction.

As a consequence to this inability under certain conditions to apply the blades flush against the cranium, pressure is often exerted only through a small part of the circumference of each blade. This part of the blade thus digs into the soft tissues of the cranium an extent necessary to have the other portions of the blade contact the surface of the cranium.

This is obviously a serious deficiency of the present day forceps, and this invention therefore has as one of its objects to improve the forceps in this respect, and to provide a blade portion which has innate flexibility to enable the same to conform to the irregular shape of the cranium and enable the application of equal pressure by all parts of the blades.

More specifically it is an object of this invention to provide forceps which are so designed that in the event an isolated part of the blade contacts the surface of the skull in advance of other portions of the blade, such isolated part thereof will yield and permit the rest of the blade to effectually engage the cranium.

Another object of this invention is to improve and increase the traction it is capable of apply- 50 ing on the infants cranium by the forceps.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved lock or joint between the branches of the forceps which is so designed as to allow eversion or relative lateral rocking motion of the 55 blades when the forceps are articulated.

A further object of this invention is to provide an obstetrical forceps which embodies all of the features which past research and experience have decreed desirable, and in addition adds flexibility for the blades enabling them to adjust themselves 5 to the irregular contour of the cranium, increased traction, and provision for relative eversion or lateral rocking motion of the branches of the forceps.

With the above and other objects in View which 10 will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being under- 15 stood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates two com plete examples of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of an obstetrical forceps embodying this invention; 25

Figure 2 is a side view thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure 2 on the plane of the line 3-3, onan enlarged scale; and

Figure 4 is a side view of the blade portion of '30 the forceps, illustrating a slightly modified embodiment of the invention.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates generally the forceps of this invention, which comprise a pair of complementary branches 6 and 1, designated right and left, respectively. Each branch consists of a handle 8 and a blade portion 9 joined by a shank I0. The shanks H) are shaped to cross each other and allow the forceps to be articulated about a joint II, which in the past has usually been designated the lock of the forceps.

In the past, this look between the two branches of the forceps has been constructed in various ways, but in most instances, the construction has been such that relative eversion or lateral rocking motion of the branches has been impossible or restricted to a useless extent.

The present invention greatly improves the forceps in this respect by forming the lock as a ball and socket joint. To this end, the right branch 6 has a socket I2 formed on its inner edge portion, and the left branch I has a ball l3 protruding from its inner edge portion to engage in the socket. To allow averting of the branches when the forceps are articulated or closed, the inner edges I 4 of the handles are formed with a concave curvature, as best shown in Figure 3.

The blade portions of each branch instead of having a solid more or less spoon-shape formation, as in the past, are split or bifurcated so that each blade portion consists of at least two separate prongs l5 and IS, the former providing the inner or upper edge of the blade, and the latter constituting its lower or outer edge,

The composite or collective shape of the prongs l5 and I6 is in a double curve as in the past. Viewed from the top, the prongs together have a cephalic curve, and viewed from the side, as shown in Figure 2, they have a pelvic curve.

From the root of the blade portion which is the juncture of the two prongs, the prongs diverge outwardly away from each other for the greater portion of their length, but their outer extremities l1 and I8 curve abruptly toward each other to terminate in slightly enlarged end portions i9 and 20, respectively. These end portions preferably have openings or holes 2| and 22 therethrough, which, as will be readily apparent, increase the traction or grip which the outer ends of the prongs are capable of exerting on the infants cranium.

Inasmuch as the forceps are made of metal having a .degree of resiliency, it follows that the separate prongs are each individually yieldable or resilient so that in the event the irregular shape of the cranium causes one prong to engage before the other, such first engaged prong will yield and allow the other one to properly contact the cranium. In this manner, maximum traction is obtained without the danger of injury to the soft tissues of the cranium by severe localized pressure.

It will, of course, be apparent that the freedom of the branches of the forceps to rock laterally on their ball and socket connection cooperates with the individual resiliency or flexibility of the blades to insure the application of uniform traction by all parts of the blades. The possibility of slippage is thus remote, and, as will be readily apparent, such assurance against objectionable slippage is obtained with less pressure than was heretofore necessary.

While adequate traction is generally obtained by a blade such as described having but two spaced fingers or prongs, if desired, an additional prong or prongs may be added, as illustrated in Figure 4.

With this construction, the two outer prongs l5 and 16' are substantially identical to those described, but in addition to these, a third central prong 23 extends into the space between them. In this case, the central prong 23 terminates short of the outer prongs, and like the outer prongs has an enlarged end portion 24, which is preferably provided with a hole 25 to increase its tractive engagement with the cranium, and also, the adjacent portions of the outer prongs l5 and I6 may have such holes 26 and 21, respectively, to add to the traction which the blade is capable of exerting on the cranium.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent that this invention materially improves the construction of obstetrical forceps, and that as a consequence, it constitutes a valuable contribution to the medical art.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An obstetrical forceps comprising: a pair of complementary branches, each having a blade portion divided into two long outer prongs and at least one shorter center prong, said prongs being shaped so as to give the blade portion a cephalic and pelvic curvature.

2. An obstetrical forceps comprising: a pair of complementary branches, each having a blade portion divided into two long outer prongs and at least one shorter center prong, said prongs being shaped so as to give the blade portion a cephalic and pelvic curvature; and the extremities of the longer outer prongs being abruptly curved inwardly toward each other.

3. An obstetrical forceps comprising: a pair of complementary branches, each having a blade, portion divided into two long outer prongs and at least one shorter center prong, said prongs being shaped so as to give the blade portion a cephalic and pelvic curvature; the extremities of the longer outer prongs being abruptly curved inwardly toward each other; and means at the extremities of all of the prongs for increasing traction.

4. An obstetrical forceps comprising: a pair of complementary separate branches, each having a handle portion, a shank and a blade portion, said branches being shaped to cross each other at their shank portions, one of said branches having a socket; and a hemispherical projection on the adjacent portion of the other branch for engagement in the socket whereby the branches are held together by pressure exerted on the handles during normal use of the forceps and whereby a degree of relative lateral rocking of the branches is permitted.

5. An obstetrical forceps comprising: a pair of complementary separate branches, each having a handle portion, a shank portion and a blade portion, said blade portions being in the form of independent resilient prongs collectively shaped to give the blade portions a cephalic and a pelvic curvature, one of said branches having a socket; and a hemispherical projection on the adjacent portion of the other branch for engagement in the socket whereby the branches are held together by pressure exerted on the handles during normal use of the forceps and whereby a degree of relative lateral rocking of the branches is permitted.

LAWRENCE J. SCHOENBECI-LLER. 

